Jenna Winebrenner

Jenna Rae Winebrenner (born March 1, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played collegiately for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the TCU Horned Frogs before being drafted by the Kansas City Current in the 2022 NWSL Draft.

Winebrenner was an assistant coach for the Kansas City Comets of the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) in 2022–23.

Early life
Winebrenner grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, the younger of two children born to Eric and Lisa Winebrenner. She began playing soccer at age three. She played high school soccer at Park Hill High School, winning three consecutive Kansas City Suburban Red Conference titles, and also competed in basketball and cross country. She was named second-team all-state in 2014 and 2015 and first-team all-state in 2016 and 2017.

College career
Winebrenner played four seasons at the University of Notre Dame from 2017 to 2020, regularly starting from her sophomore season. She then transferred to Texas Christian University, where she led the Horned Frogs to win the 2021 Big 12 tournament and was named the tournament's defensive most valuable player and first-team All-Big 12. She assisted on three game-winning goals at TCU, including once to Messiah Bright in the Big 12 semifinals and once in the first round of the 2021 NCAA tournament, where they reached the round of sixteen. While in college, Winebrenner began coaching girls' soccer teams when home in Kansas City.

Kansas City Current, 2022–2023
The Kansas City Current selected Winebrenner 41st overall in the fourth round of the 2022 NWSL Draft. She signed a one-year contract with a one-year option. She made eleven appearances and six starts as a rookie as the Current made it to the 2022 NWSL Championship title game.

Following her rookie season, Winebrenner was hired as an assistant coach for the Kansas City Comets of the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL), becoming the first female coach in MASL history. She knew Comets head coach Leo Gibson and assistant coach Stefan Stokic from her youth soccer days. Her duties included analyzing game film and scrimmaging with the men in practice. She said the opportunity to train with the indoor team was "an ideal situation for the offseason".

The Current exercised Winebrenner's contract option for the 2023 season. She made eight appearances and five starts.

North Carolina Courage, 2024–
Winebrenner signed a one-year injury replacement contract with the North Carolina Courage after training with the team in the 2024 preseason.

Personal life
Walker is in a relationship with professional lacrosse player Ethan Walker. They got engaged in July 2024.